"I'm not the type to let a sleeping giant lie. I wake up the giant, slap him around, make him mad and beat him to the ground. I talk a big game because I carry a big stick." --- All-Pro Stanford Graduate

Shane Falco wrote:What is our record under PC after a loss? Isn't it pretty good too? Don't know why I am thinking that, is it the case?

2 wins in a row after each loss, so far...knock on wood!

Yeah, this year. So far so good. For some reason I was thinking that for the entire time PC was here but it's not the case at all. I thought our losses were more split up than they were in the previous two years.

We run more one high safety than any other team in the league and that could be problematic vs. Detroit. I believe that we will (obviously) roll coverage to Megatron. Other teams have shown that he can be shut down if you blanket him with a safety, leaving 1v1 on the opposite receiver. Hopefully Earl is up to that task given the height differential as I don't believe Kam can cover him. Regardless, Megatron's location will dictate coverage. We can't let him beat us.

Best case scenario: We can stop the run without bringing Kam down in to the box, leaving him free to concentrate on disrupting the passing game.

Football Outsiders says we're the best in the league against #1 WRs. I think Sherman matches up well with Megatron. Sherman is only a couple inches shorter, so that takes away most of Megatron's height advantage. I like our pass rush vs their o-line, especially since we know they cant run it against us. The d-line can pin their ears back and rush Stafford all day.

I also like our offense vs their defense. They're 24th in points allowed per game and 22nd in defensive DVOA. Our losses have come against good defenses. This defense doesnt compare to any of the defenses we've lost to (which all happen to be top 5 in PPG). There's a reason our offense looked shitty against those teams.

Last edited by Erebus on Fri Oct 19, 2012 8:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Their offense plays right into what we are good at stopping. Deep, long developing routes. If Stafford can throw 3-4 int games against worse defenses, I don't see why ours wont have a field day. This is one of the few teams Earl should finally have a big effect on. I thought GB would be his coming out party, but they really relied on check downs and 3 step drops. The only concerning part is obviously Calvin Johnson; we haven't faced someone of his skill set since PC took over. I think as long as he is constantly jammed at the line, he shouldn't determine the game. I won't be shocked if he puts up a 100 yard game though, he easily is one of the best receivers in the past 30 years.

I think the thing that should make this a dominate win is Marshawn. When Stafford does get picked, we won't be taking deep shots to give it back quickly. It will be a steady dose of Marshawn against a very bad defense resulting in long drives.

mistaowen wrote:Their offense plays right into what we are good at stopping. Deep, long developing routes. If Stafford can throw 3-4 int games against worse defenses, I don't see why ours wont have a field day. This is one of the few teams Earl should finally have a big effect on. I thought GB would be his coming out party, but they really relied on check downs and 3 step drops. The only concerning part is obviously Calvin Johnson; we haven't faced someone of his skill set since PC took over. I think as long as he is constantly jammed at the line, he shouldn't determine the game. I won't be shocked if he puts up a 100 yard game though, he easily is one of the best receivers in the past 30 years.

I think the thing that should make this a dominate win is Marshawn. When Stafford does get picked, we won't be taking deep shots to give it back quickly. It will be a steady dose of Marshawn against a very bad defense resulting in long drives.

I'm predicting Seattle scores at least 3 FGs, and maybe 1 TD (2 TDs if the defense is really on it). But that TD will come from a big play. Sorry to say it, but the 'Hawks' offense breaks down in the redzone.

Man, we got this. We're going to crush them. We break the white jersey/10 AM trend and we beat these punks. You think these guys liked losing to the 9ers? Hell no. This is a no brainer. Hawks win! Hawks win!!

Like I said before, I want Detroit to SUFFER! Its not anything I have against 'em, because I like their team actually. I just want one of those games were we stomp a mud hole into the other teams collective face.

Throwdown wrote:Like I said before, I want Detroit to SUFFER! Its not anything I have against 'em, because I like their team actually. I just want one of those games were we stomp a mud hole into the other teams collective face.

I for one do not want to see anyone but Sherman on Megatron. I don't want to see Browner lined up against him at all. Browner is a bruiser not a cover guy. He won't be able to do that to megatron . I like Sherman's matchup on him better but you still have to try to help with a safety regardless. Lets not forget their interior offensive line is very good if they "want to be". I think if we can keep Calvin Johnson bottled up we win. If we let him loose game over. We haven't faced a receiver like this at all this year. Boys are going to need to bring their A game in the secondary. A missed assignment or breakdown is going to for sure be a big play. Pettigrew is a good target for them also if he isn't dropping passes for a TE. Defense has a lot to worry about but i am confident they can handle it.

I think that the week eight matchup with the Lions will serve as another of the season's litmus tests. We've faced some of the league's best offenses (Patriots with 445.3 total YPG) and some of the best defenses (Rams with 207.8 passing YPG [No.5]; Cowboys with 285.2 total defense YPG [No. 2]; and last week, 49ers with 272.3 total defense YPG [No.1]). What isn't surprising, then, is that the Lions have 419.6 total offense YPG, good for second in the league. What is surprising is that the Lions have 324 total defense YPG, ninth in the league. This will be one of our more challenging games of the season.

What is needed, then, for victory?

On offense...We will most mirror our gameplan against the Patriots. Both have strong run defenses (Patriots with 82.7 YPG and Lions with 96.4 YPG), but weak secondaries (Patriots with 288.8 and Lions with 227.6--the fourth worst secondary we've faced thus far). Wilson should have enough time to implement this and let our routes with Rice and Tate develop, as the Lions are tied for eighteenth in the league for sacks. Expect more total yardage and points out of this game.

On defense...The name of the game is Calvin Johnson, the number one offensive threat on the Lions. Although he has managed respectable numbers in receptions and yards this season, his touchdown numbers are surprising--one. Whether this is more indicative of him or the Lion's coaching schemes, I don't know, but I know it bodes quite well for us--even more so because our secondary possesses the physical attributes to measure well against him. I don't expect Johnson to manage more than fifty yards for the game.

As far as their rushing gameplan--it will be a non-threat, as the Lions just manage a scant 99.8 rushing YPG (No.19)--the fourth worst we've faced thus far. We should expect Bryant and Mebane and Co. to redeem themselves here.

The greatest defensive challenge will be the pass rush. The Lions' offensive line has allowed nine sacks on the year (tied for fifth best in the league with the Cowboys). To reemphasize this point, remember the lack of pass rush we generated in the game against the 49ers and then remember that the 49ers have allowed twenty sacks on the year--third worst in the league. If we are to succeed here, we must emulate our success against the Cowboys.

Overzealous statistical data-dumping aside, this will be quite a challenge for us, but one we'll be able to overcome. I think that a win in Detroit will kick us off on a nice little streak.

Seattle's averaging less than 13 points a game in the road this year. Detroit's offense is good enough to score 14 points on Seattle at their place. I think this will be another disappointing performance.

Despite what some think, I see no gimme games left on the schedule. Lions are on the verge of righting their ship. This game will be very tight. I hope for a victory but will be chewing my nails the whole time.

SeatownJay wrote:Seattle's averaging less than 13 points a game in the road this year. Detroit's offense is good enough to score 14 points on Seattle at their place. I think this will be another disappointing performance.

Context ... out of those road games, we played a very good Cardinals defense, a very underrated Rams defense, and the best defense in the NFL (SF). Detroit's defense is not even close to any of them.